Reply to "You know that's impossible right?" Explaining to kids the comments of creationists.

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[quote=Anonymous]OP, please let me tell you my own story, and maybe it will help you understand the woman's reaction.

I was raised in the christian church.  We dutifully went to church every Sunday, and DH and I now take our family to church every Sunday.  I believe in God with my whole heart and always have.  I had questions about creation in the back of my mind, but never felt that I could ask those questions out loud.  I don't know why.  My parents would have been fine with it, and my pastor would have been happy to help me.  But I still felt ashamed if a doubt would start to cross my mind.  Actually I never really admitted to myself that I questioned any of it.  I don't believe this was a result of my church's teachings or influence.  The church never seemed to indicate that I should repress or feel guilty.  It was my own insecurity and fear.  this did not change until about a year ago.

Last summer, my children and I wandered into the evolution exhibit at the Natural History museum - same one a pp mentioned.  I was extremely uncomfortable and nervous that it would cause my kids to question their faith.  We were in and out of there in about 30 seconds.  I felt guilty that I had walked in there.  DD said "is that what humans used to look like?" and I can't remember what I said, but I made some snide remark undermining the entire exhibit.  Yet, I did not question anything else I saw in that museum.  A few months later, I was at the zoo, watching the chimps. that same feeling of discomfort came rushing back as I allowed myself to finally notice that they are undeniably similar to us.  It made my stomach drop, and again I felt guilty.  Mind you, I also have a degree in biology, so I was a walking contradiction.  Although I've always felt that God and science can co-exist.  I just never really allowed myself to think it through and to really go there.

Over the past several months, I have gotten to a point where I can actually understand how science and religion can co-exist.  As a pp said, God created science!  The Big Bang Theory happened, yet this phenomenon has never happened again.  So my belief is that the BBT was able to happen only with Divine Intervention.  That's actually the easy one...

Moving on to those beasts in the museum and the chimp that completely freaked me out.  God created us in his likeness, so is God an ape?  Were Adam and Eve apes?  Then I realize that God gave us the gift of His likeness, but this was bestowed upon us throughout the evolutionary process.  Why do I believe that this is Divine and not just science?  Well, like the BBT - evolution of man happened at certain points, but then it somehow just stopped.  You don't see the occasional human born to an ape at the zoo, and you don't see women giving birth to primates.  i'm exaggerating, but hopefully you get my point.

And finally, the one that has bothered me since my 6th grade confirmation class:  Six days, really?  Even back then, I knew that a day was not likely referring to a 24 hour cycle.  But what is a day?  I could except that a day might actually be thousands or millions of years, but still not really buying that God created light and then waited thousands of years before creating heaven, and so on.  I have now come to believe that a day has nothing to do with chronology, but is just a way of separating/organizing the elements of creation.  Perhaps the seventh day refers to all time after the completion, including today.

I could keep going, but you get the picture, I'm sure.  It makes sense to me that God used science to create the world rather than taking an abra cadabra approach.  He doesn't do that now, so I have no reason to believe He did so back then.  For example, I believe that my kids are a gift from God.  But I also know that God did not wave a magic wand and I suddenly had a baby in a bassinet in front of me.  God gave me my kids through science and nature.

So, my point is that maybe you all will go easy on the next person who does this?  They are not stating their beliefs loudly because they wish to bother you or influence your kids.  More likely, they are trying to shed the guilt they are feeling over simply hearing/seeing something that contrasts everything they've been taught.  And they are trying to immediately discard any doubt/questions this raised in their child's mind.  They spoke out because of fear and probably some of their own repressed doubt - not intolerance.

Anyway, this is my journey and how I can relate to the woman.  Sorry this was so long.  It was kind of therapeutic for me so i got carried away.  Please don't bash me, as I do realize that I'm still evolving (no pun intended).  I did not post this in order to influence anyone's beliefs.  I'm simply trying to give you another perspective.[/quote]

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